China targeting U.S. election infrastructure with cyberattacks, says O'Brien

 

FILE PHOTO: National security adviser Robert O'Brien walks after being interviewed at the White House in Washington, U.S., May 24, 2020. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Chinese government-linked hackers have been targeting U.S. election infrastructure ahead of the 2020 presidential election, White House National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien said on Sunday, indicating a more active level of alleged Chinese interference.

 

O'Brien's comments appeared to go beyond a statement released on Friday by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence which said China "has been expanding its influence efforts," and that Russia was already trying to undercut Democratic candidate Joe Biden. But did not specifically accuse Beijing of hacking attempts against U.S. election-related systems.

 

"They'd like to see the President lose," O'Brien said on CBS' "Face the Nation." "China - like Russia, like Iran - they've engaged in cyberattacks and phishing and that sort of thing with respect to our election infrastructure, with respect to websites and that sort of thing."

 

China has consistently denied U.S. government claims that it hacks U.S. companies, politicians or government agencies. "The U.S. presidential election is an internal affair, we have no interest in interfering in it," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said in April.

 

O'Brien said the United States had seen hackers try to infiltrate websites belonging to Secretary of State offices around the country, which are responsible for administering elections at the local level, and collecting data on Americans.

 

After U.S. counterintelligence said Russia was actively working to undermine Democratic candidate Joe Biden ahead of the presidential election, President Donald Trump's national security adviser said China was trying to actively interfere as well. This report produced by Zachary Goelman.

 

"It is a real concern and it's not just Russia," he said. "There will be severe consequences for any country that attempts to interfere in our free and fair elections."

 

The National Security Council did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The ODNI declined to comment or clarify whether O'Brien's comments contradicted their own.

 

The ODNI previously said that "adversaries" seek to compromise the private communications of American political candidates and penetrate U.S. election systems ahead of November's election. And that China would prefer President Donald Trump does not win reelection.

 

Multiple reviews by U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia acted to boost Trump's 2016 campaign and undercut his rival Hillary Clinton's chances in that election.

 

(Reporting by Christopher Bing; Editing by Mary Milliken and Sandra Maler)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-08-10

 

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Where can I get a mask with a U.S. Presidential seal? Very cool! Maybe I can order one from China. As far as hacking the 2020 election goes, hack away. China should maybe start with the USPS?

 

 

 

Edited August 9, 20205 yr by MaxYakov

With trumps record of refusing to act on election interference ,his active solicitation of interference in an attempt to rigg our election I smell a red herring here I think it’s a seed to cast doubt on trumps upcoming defeat

It shouldn't be a problem if China or any other country tries to hack those computers.

The USA is full of computer and security specialists. They should have a secure system with lots of security features.

Upcoming Trump: "I lost because the election was fake. It was fake.... ".

Off-topic post removed.  

 

2 hours ago, MaxYakov said:

Where can I get a mask with a U.S. Presidential seal? Very cool! Maybe I can order one from China. As far as hacking the 2020 election goes, hack away. China should maybe start with the USPS?

 

 

 

Naaa trumps cronies are busy wrecking the post office allready 

1 hour ago, Tug said:

Naaa trumps cronies are busy wrecking the post office allready 

Did they hire Miley Cyrus to do the hard parts (pardon the expression)?

 

 

 

Edited August 10, 20205 yr by MaxYakov

7 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

It shouldn't be a problem if China or any other country tries to hack those computers.

The USA is full of computer and security specialists. They should have a secure system with lots of security features.

Mighty big "should", ya reckon?

When Trump was asked about foreign "help" or what we might call "interference" he replied "I'd have to look at it...."

 

9 hours ago, webfact said:

"It is a real concern and it's not just Russia," he said. "There will be severe consequences for any country that attempts to interfere in our free and fair elections."

I wonder what has changed since 2016? I haven't seen severe consequences handed out since then. Or is it any country apart from Russia?

 

Still, a few informative books being published at the minute revealing US/Russian relationships at that time. I might just start reading again.

Edited August 10, 20205 yr by chrisinth

Trump haters abound here on this site. Oh that's right your here because your looser's !  555!!!

9 hours ago, Tug said:

With trumps record of refusing to act on election interference ,his active solicitation of interference in an attempt to rigg our election I smell a red herring here I think it’s a seed to cast doubt on trumps upcoming defeat

Great; I can't wait to see if he can out-whine the Democrat's three years of crying. True test of the orange man's stamina coming up? Can we put together a pot to see if he manages to use a falsified investigation to impeach the next one? How many ice cream scoops will we need before we can get upset - three this time?

9 hours ago, spiekerjozef said:

Upcoming Trump: "I lost because the election was fake. It was fake.... ".

Is that better or worse than Russia, Russia, Russia? ????

2 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

I hope the President read your post. He seem to think himself as a medical expert dispensing medical advise. He also dabble with economics thinking trade wars are easy to win, wall will stop immigrants and he claimed to know more than military generals. He brought that all on himself thinking he indeed know everything and is a super genius. By the way, what is a technical penetration tester which seem quite vile. 

Surely you don't have time to be posting on TVF from the oval office. What do we call it - fly on the wall? How do you know what his advisors have and have not said? I'd love to get your security clearance!

Technical penetration tester - probably best not to google it on second thought, haha. Someone who works with security testing, focusing on technical breaches (rather than physical).

6 minutes ago, DaftToPutRealName said:

Surely you don't have time to be posting on TVF from the oval office. What do we call it - fly on the wall? How do you know what his advisors have and have not said? I'd love to get your security clearance!

Technical penetration tester - probably best not to google it on second thought, haha. Someone who works with security testing, focusing on technical breaches (rather than physical).

As you said and I agree that we don't expect the President to know everything. Just don't lie and make false claims which have been often corrected by the real experts. I dread being a fly on the wall and seeing an empty desk and limited hours of real work. As for the tester, I will go no further and rather prefer the word ethical hacker.

45 minutes ago, nervona81732 said:

Trump haters abound here on this site. Oh that's right your here because your looser's !  555!!!

Sounds of one of those people who are now feeling somewhat in a corner. 555!!!

38 minutes ago, DaftToPutRealName said:

Great; I can't wait to see if he can out-whine the Democrat's three years of crying. True test of the orange man's stamina coming up? Can we put together a pot to see if he manages to use a falsified investigation to impeach the next one? How many ice cream scoops will we need before we can get upset - three this time?

Barr will deliver his October surprise

LOL what absolute racist trash. The real threat is RUSSIA! They conspired coordinated and colluded with the Trump campaign to steal the 2016 US presidential election from Hilary Clinton! And now they’re doing it again! China is NO THREAT to the US. They are a vital trading partner. 

An off topic post has been removed also a post citing a mysterious and yet unknown medical condition from the same source.

 

If you want to post about covid virus do it in the appropriate forum, this topic is about:

 

China targeting U.S. election infrastructure with cyberattacks, says O'Brien

 

 

If it's true that China doesn't want Trump being elected, it doesn't make sense to hack infrastructure. They only have to do nothing and let Biden win. 

3 hours ago, earlinclaifornia said:

Sounds of one of those people who are now feeling somewhat in a corner. 555!!!

Yeah did anyone manage to catch that dummy flying through the air??

 

Does anybody remember the days when a politician made a claim and then backed it up with evidence??  Seems we are going backwards?

An off-topic post and reply have been removed.